IAF surgical strike LIVE Updates: Sushma Swaraj convenes all-party meeting

IAF Surgical Strike LIVE Updates: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting, hours after the Indian Air Force, in an early morning non-military preemptive strike, destroyed a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Balakot.

IAF Surgical Strike LIVE Updates: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting, hours after the Indian Air Force, in an early morning non-military preemptive strike, destroyed a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Balakot. Pakistan, on the other hand, said it will give an “appropriate reply” to what it termed as “aggression” by India. Follow LIVE Updates here

“India committed an act of aggression. It is a violation of the LoC. I consider it a violation of the LoC, and Pakistan his right to give a suitable response in self-defence,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said.

Briefing the media earlier today, India’s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, “Credible intelligence was received that JeM was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country, and the fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose. In the face of imminent danger, a preemptive strike became absolutely necessary.”

“In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. This facility at Balakot was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azhar (alias Ustad Ghouri), the brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, Chief of JeM,” he added.

IAF Air Strike in Balakot, Pakistan: India early this morning conducted precision strikes on a JeM terror camp destroying it an eliminating "a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen."

Gokhale said India has repeatedly provided to Pakistan information regarding the location of training camps in Pakistan and PoJK. Pakistan, however, denies their existence. "The existence of such massive training facilities capable of training hundreds of jidhadis could not have functioned without the knowledge of Pakistan authorities," he said.

Following the strikes this morning, the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security met at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, following which Gokhale addressed the media.

Describing today’s strike as “non-military, preemptive action”, Gokhale said the terror camp in Balakot was chosen as the target since it was far away from civilian presence. “As the strike has taken place only a short while ago, we are awaiting further details,” Gokhale said.

Sources told The Indian Express that JeM terror camp was deep inside Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The MEA, however, only confirmed that the camp was located in a thick forest on a hilltop, far away from any civilian presence.

Further, the MEA said it used “preemptive action” but did not state whether it was an IAF or Army operation. According to news agency ANI, a squadron of 12 IAF Mirage aircraft flew across LoC and dropped 1000 kg bombs. But Gokhale gave no details on the same.

Newsletter

Prime Minister Modi inaugurates Atal Tunnel - longest tunnel above 10000 ft

Ladakh: The Prime Minister today inaugurated the Atal Tunnel and took the inaugural drive through in the 9km long tunnel...

Orissa High Court Order regarding migrant workers entry into Orissa put on hold by the Supreme Court

The Orissa High Court order to permit the entry of migrant workers only if they tested Negative for COVID-19 was put on...

Coronavirus Lockdown - First Flights To Bring Back Indians Stranded Abroad Land In Kerala

On Monday, the central government announced plans to begin a massive repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad, dubbe...

Reacting to Trump's retaliation threat India allows Hydroxychloroquine export

In a move after Trump's threat to retaliate if India fails to send medicines, India has lifted ban of export of ess...

All Domestic Passenger Flights Suspended from Midnight Tomorrow

The operations of all domestic schedule commercial airlines will stop operations from 23.59pm on March 24, a government...

Iran says it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian plane, blames ‘human error’

Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the US and Canada, citing intelligence, sa...